CMLL early week results, Daga/AAA, IWRG trios championship

CMLL

CMLL (MON) 12/18/2023 Arena Puebla [Grada, Mano A Mano]
1) Espíritu Maligno & Siky Ozama b Amnesia & Rayo Metálico
2) Micro Gemelo Diablo I & Micro Gemelo Diablo II b Chamuel & Periquito Sacaryas
3) Lady Amazona b Skadi [lightning] 
8:10.
4) Arkalis, Asturiano, Meyer, Pegasso, Rey Samuray b Crixus, Difunto, El Coyote, Pólvora, Raider [cibernetico] 
Order of elimination: Asutriano (via Polvora), Meyer (Raider), Polvora (Pegaso), Raider (Samuray) Pegaso (Difunto), Samuray (Crixus) leaving Arkalis against Crixus, Difunto and Coyote. Arkalis beat Coyote, Difunto, and Crixus in order to win. Arkalis had earlier revealed his father had passed away that afternoon but he wanted to fufill his scheduled booking here.
5) Guerrero Maya Jr. © b Rugido [MEX MIDDLE] 
2nd defense, rematch of tournament final
6) Averno, Místico, Stigma b Euforia, Soberano Jr., Volador Jr. [Relevos Increíbles]
Volador replaced Templario

During the Monday event, CMLL announced Andrade would appear on the 12/25 holiday show in Arena Puebla. Guadalajara also announced he’ll be there on 12/26. Working the full loop is how CMLL used all the outside names who’ve come in for short stints over the last few years. I wasn’t as sure it’d be the same for Andrade, between working AEW regularly and the holiday stretch, but he seems up for it.

CMLL (TUE) 12/19/2023 Arena México [CMLL, Kaiser Sports]
1) Bengala, Leono, Retro b Grako, Inquisidor, Sangre Imperial  
2) Angelito, Full Metal, Minos DQ Kaligua, Mercurio, Pequeño Violencia [Relevos Increíbles]  
straight falls, Mercurio DQed for unmasking Angelito
3) Reyna Isis b Dark Silueta [lightning]  
4) Esfinge, Fugaz, Star Black b Akuma, Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II 
5) Dragón Rojo Jr. & Terrible b Star Jr. & Titán  
Tecnicos had the match won, but KeMaltio ran in and broke up the submission holds in view of the referee. Rudos immediately won.
6) Flip Gordon, Máscara Dorada, Místico b Averno, Euforia, Mephisto 

A generally good show for a Tuesday, with a typical fan friendly main event.

The KeMalito interference spots have become a bit much. The other mascots interfere, but usually not directly on the finish and not directly in front of the referee. My assumption is it’s meant to be setting up the new KeMonito coming in to stop him, but hopefully they’ll tone it down a bit after that happens.

Today’s CMLL Informa should have a KeMonito tease. It’s the last talk show before Christmas, which makes the most sense for a debut day. CMLL seems to be already promoting his appearance on a 12/29 Lucha Tour event, opposite KeMalito.

CMLL (TUE) 12/19/2023 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [Arena Coliseo Guadalajara]
1) Ángel Rebelde, Gran Jefe VI, Insólito b Minotauro, Mortis, Shezmu 
2) Adira & Dulce Kitty b Emperatriz & Misteriosa 
ref stop when match fell apart?
3) Gallo Jr., Ráfaga, Rafaga Jr. b Misterio Blanco, Misterio Negro, Misterioso Jr. 
4) Halcón Suriano Jr., Hijo de Stuka Jr., Hijo del Soberano DQ Exterminador, Javier Cruz Jr., Maléfico 
Gran Jefe VI ran in to attack Hijo de Stuka Jr., following their mask match last week. Gran Jefe unmasked in the post match.
5) Andrómeda, Lady Shadow, Miss Guerrera b Náutica, Sexy Sol, Valkiria 
6) Brillante Jr., Dulce Gardenia, La Fashion b Furia Roja & Guerrero de la Muerte 

The second match ended with a 2 on 1 suplex, a cover, the person stopping covering to end instead to get on all fours (to set up a boost?), a two count, a headscissors by the others, and then the referee (Thelma Barron) retroactively declaring that two count was a match ending three count. She had seen enough.

Gran Jefe VI wrestling his match masked and later running in attack Stuka while still still masked seem to defeat the point, you can’t complain to be that upset about being unmasked if you’re still running around wearing it. (Also, it’s notable something outside of CMLL got treated as relevant in CMLL. It’s odd what they pick up on.) Edit: I don’t what I thought I saw, but he was definitely unmasked in his match.

Today’s Informa scheduled guests: 

• Soberano Jr. (versus Atlantis Jr. on Friday)
• Volador, Magnus, Magia Blanca (versus Andrades on Friday)
• Dragon Rojo Jr., Flip Gordon, Averno (?)
• Mascara Dorada (title win)
• Apocalipsis (maybe talking about losing his mask at last year’s Sin Salida)
• Ultimo Dragoncito & Full Metal (this year’s Sin Salida)

Nothing pops out from the Friday show prices on Ticketmaster for January and February. Two of them (01/26 and 02/16) actually list no tickets on sale, so maybe there’s something more there. All ticket prices seem to be going up 2 pesos with the calendar switch, which sounds like an added tax or fee.

KeMonito talk reminded me to take a look at the trademark database. CMLL asked to register “LFN LUCHA FEMENIL NACIONES”, what they called the all women’s shows in Guadalajara and Puebla. They’ve also put in requests for “Andromeda” and “Esto Es Lucha.” None of these have been officially approved yet.

AAA

Daga announced he’s finished up with AAA for the moment and will solely be focused on NOAH right now (where he’s the current GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion.) Daga hadn’t wrestled there since September and was not a regular. He did explain in a Mas Lucha interview that he was heading to Japan for a long stint in NOAH, but there’s no outward explanation of why he had to declare he was no longer with AAA.

On his podcast, Konnan mentioned Dralistico departure as he and AAA just not being able to come to an agreement for a big deal but said Dralistico is still a possibility for TripleManias. My guess is both the Daga and Dralistico departures are the effects of AAA trying to sign people to contracts. They both have international deals where it wouldn’t make a lot of sense to sign with AAA unless it was an overwhelming deal, and they just want it extra clear they’re not committed to AAA in case it matters.

Daga leaving clicked to me that pretty much everyone Hijo del Vikingo defended the title against this year in AAA is no longer working with AAA. About half the list is the usual AAA bringing in people for one night, but even the people who are regulars have faded out. The only one left is Komander, which may be a matter of time. He’s an AEW signed guy, so we’re just waiting for the day when AAA books a cruiserweight title match out of nowhere to write him off. Part of this is AAA doesn’t bother to do title defenses outside of their major shows, and they’re not going to book a (to pick a name) Toxin versus Hijo del Vikingo match on TripleMania.

EMW says they’ll be back running Tijuana on 02/17, so no show in January.

IWRG

There are now two teams claiming to be the IWRG trios champions. Poder del Norte member Super Comando explained Monday on Facebook that he and the rest of the team never reached an agreement to participate in the IWRG Aniversario show. “Working conditions stipulated prior were not met”, so they didn’t agree to the match, so they can’t be stripped for not defending and are still rightfully champs. My guess at what actually happened is IWRG’s track record of people leaving unhappy due to pay issues caused Poder del Norte to want a significant amount of their money up front, IWRG balked at that request and spent the money on bringing back other people instead. This is the dumbest story.

Other News

KAOZ claims they’re running a show on March 24, 2024. Most of the comments on the post are laughing at the promotion, which has canceled many shows, will be running this one. Promoter Alonso Botello did a 25 minute interview with Mas Lucha as well, though I suspect this was taped back around Ultraclash. Jose Manuel Guillen asked him why they were signing people to contracts, unlike most Mexican wrestling promotions. Botello said he and Dorian Roldan talked a lot about trying to make the business a professional and then ranted about how all the wrestlers know the deals they’re signing. He commends Komander and Cibernetico for exiting their contract professionally and says his dealings with Roldan have been good about the KAOZ contracted wrestlers who work in AAA. These Botello interviews mostly serve to as legal threats towards Andromeda for working in CMLL without permission (and probably money), though it’s been months of legal threats and no known action. This is the same story as Arena Coliseo Monterrey: people involved keep on making motions like something very important to happen but it’s gone on so long that we’re all kind of numb to it.

Rey Fenix is officially off the 01/05 Prestige Wrestling show, where he was scheduled to face Samuray del Sol. I’ve heard no indication Fenix is returning to the ring any time soon.

Box y Lucha 3582 has Mascara Dorada and Andrade on the cover.

There’s a benefit show for luchador Ultratumba in Cancun.

Am interview with Tulancingo’s Amo de la Noche.